STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Sam Houston State Bearkats finished Day 2 of the Bulldog Slamboree on Saturday, splitting a pair of games against host Mississippi State and Alcorn State at Nusz Park.

The Kats fell in run-rule fashion in the first game against Mississippi State after the Bulldogs pounded out a five-run first inning and would score in each of the next three innings to close it out, 9-0, in five innings.

But in the nightcap the Bearkats finished the day on a high note as they used ace Lindsey McLeod’s one-hitter and nine strikeouts to finish a weekend sweep of sweep Alcorn State with a 1-0 win.

UP NEXTSam Houston will look to finish out the weekend strong as they play host Mississippi State one last time Sunday at 2 pm. After that, they will return home for 10-straight games at Bearkat Softball Complex.

Game 1 – Box ScoreNo. 25 Mississippi State 9, Sam Houston State 0 (5 innings) The Bulldogs pushed across five runs in the first inning and scored in the next three frames before closing things out in quick fashion for the beginning of the doubleheader, 9-0, over the Bearkats.

Sam Houston got only one hit from Bailey White and only reached base twice against Bulldog starter Cassady Knudsen. The MSU starter fanned a total of eight batters through five innings for her third one-hitter of the season.

A one-out RBI single by Sarai Niu started the five-run inning in the first, and two more Bulldogs added RBI singles and finished up Carmen Carter two-RBI double. Mississippi State would score in the next three frames with two coming in the third inning totaling with nine-runs and run-rule finish through five innings.

Game 2 – Box ScoreSam Houston 1, Alcorn State 0Sam Houston State grinded out a 1-0 sweep of Alcorn State thanks to a crucial third-inning run to finish up the second day of the Bulldog Slamboree on Saturday afternoon.

McLeod picked up her second-career one-hitter, the last one occurring against Central Arkansas a year ago, and struck out nine Lady Braves on the day. Megan McDonald had the sole run in the game in the top of the third inning but also tallied three hits on four at bats for Sam Houston.

Through the first two innings the Bearkats had stranded four runners on base as McDonald and White found themselves on base before Alcorn State defense shut down that scoring opportunity with a two-out ground out to second in the first. The next inning an error and single gave the Kats another opportunity but three straight groundouts ended that swiftly.

The Kats would start to come to life in the top of the third frame as McDonald singled and a Brooke Malia bunt would move her into scoring position. That is when White would drive a RBI single into right field, scoring McDonald from second for the lone run in the game giving the Kats all the runs they would need.

Despite allowing two walks and a single with one out in the bottom of the sixth, McLeod finished out the inning with loaded bases finding one of her nine strikeouts and a foul out to the catcher to capture help capture Sam Houston’s sixth win of the season.